登陆注册
6135100000029

第29章 CHAPTER IX. More Sheep(4)

"You're playing big luck, if you only had sense enough to know it," Andy pointed out to the recumbent three before they rode away. "We didn't come over here on the warpath, and, if you hadn't got in such a darned hurry to start something, you'd be a whole lot more comfortable right now. We rode over to tell yuh not to start them sheep across Flying U coulee; because, if you do, you're going to have both hands and your hats plumb full uh trouble. It has taken some little time and fussing to get yuh gentled down so we can talk to you, and I sure do hope yuh remember what I'm saying."

"Oh, we'll remember it, all right!" menaced one of the men, lifting his head turtlewise that he might glare at the group.

"And our bosses'll remember it; you needn't worry about that none. You wait till--"

The next man to him turned his head and muttered a sentence, and the speaker dropped his head back upon the ground, silenced.

"It was your own outfit started this style of rope trimming, so you can't kick about that part of the deal," Pink informed them melodiously. "It's liable to get to be all the rage with us. So, if you don't like it, don't come around where we are. And say!"

His dimples stood deep in his cheeks. "You send those ropes home to-morrow, will yuh? We're liable to need 'em."

"by cripes!" Big Medicine bawled. "What say we haze them sheep a few miles north, boys?"

"Oh, I guess they'll be all right where they are," Andy protested, his thirst for revenge assuaged at sight of those three trussed as he had been trussed, and apparently not liking it any better than he had liked it. "They'll be good and careful not to come around the Flying U--or I miss my guess a mile."

The others cast comprehensive glances at their immediate surroundings, and decided that they had at least made their meaning plain; there was no occasion for emphasizing their disapproval any further. They confiscated the rifles, and they told the fellows why they did so. They very kindly pulled a tarpaulin over the three to protect them in a measure from the chill night that was close upon them, and they wished them good night and pleasant dreams, and rode away home.

On the way they met Weary and Happy Jack, galloping anxiously to the battle scene. Slim, it appeared from Weary's rapid explanation, had arrived at the ranch with his horse in a lather and with a four-inch furrow in the fleshiest part of his leg, where a bullet had flicked him in passing. The tale he told had led Weary to believe that Slim was the sole survivor of that reckless company.

"Mamma! I'm so glad to see you boys able to fork your horses and swear natural, that I don't believe I can speak my little piece about staying on your own side the fence and letting trouble do some of the hunting," he exclaimed thankfully. "I wish you'd stayed at home and left these blamed Dots alone. But, seeing yuh didn't, I'm tickled to death to hear you didn't kill anybody off.

I don't want the folks to come home and find the whole bunch in the pen. It might look as if--"

"You don't want the folks to come home and find the whole ranch sheeped off, either, and the herders camping up in the white house, do yuh?" Pink inquired pointedly. "I kinda think," he added dryly, "those same herders will feel like going away around Flying U fences with their sheep. I don't believe they'll do any cutting across."

"I betche old Dunk'll make it interestin' fer this outfit, just the same," Happy Jack predicted. "Tyin' up three men uh hisn, like that, and ropin' their tent and draggin' it off, ain't things he'll pass up. He'll have a possy out here--you see if he don't!"

"In that case, I'll be sorry for you, Happy," purred Miguel close beside him. "You're the only one in the outfit that looks capable of such a vile deed."

"Oh, Dunk won't do anything," Weary said cheerfully. "You'll have to take those guns back, though. They might take a notion to call that stealing!"

"You forget," the Native Son reminded calmly, "that we left them three good ropes in exchange."

Whereupon the Happy Family laughed and went to offer their unsought sympathy to Slim.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 光之心

    光之心

    一颗光芒凝聚的心脏,让一个怂包拥有神一般的力量,肩负起覆灭虫族,解放地球的重任。他能否经受住考验,能否完成这个使命?
  • 幽谷繁花

    幽谷繁花

    终究是时间不够长,还是人心太凉,有时候以为对的人,到后来才发现不过是噩梦一场。曾许下誓言到死方休,到老陪伴,可终究敌不过新欢,不过还好受过的苦最终成为了勋章。错的人不管曾经爱得多么轰轰烈烈,也不过是相识一场。
  • 魔族世界

    魔族世界

    第1006任魔王与两位亲王、君主变成了人类孩子,等待觉醒。没有人知道,五界最终为什么会消失,除了莩雅兰芊儿魔王陛下······
  • 仙门遍地是奇葩

    仙门遍地是奇葩

    原来仙门竟是这般不以为耻,当真是脸皮厚到极致。师傅喜欢徒弟,徒弟却为魔界鬼祭哭得死去活来。好一个郎艳独绝,遗世独立的灵澈仙人。又好一个不知羞耻,仙门之辱的徒弟。不愧是仙门之境,遍地奇葩,魔为仙成仙,仙为魔堕魔;不疯不魔,不魔不仙(ps:纯属瞎七八扯,毫无逻辑。)
  • 你永远是最好的自己

    你永远是最好的自己

    本来十分高傲的我没有考上理想的大学,只能选了一个不了解而且不好的学校。刚开始并没有感到后悔,毕竟选的专业还是想要的医学,但后来因为学校的不好越来越否定自己,越来越消沉和颓废,感觉一切都不适合我,事情由此发生……
  • 老树下的光辉

    老树下的光辉

    作者:范亚杰本作品以九十年代至今为故事背景,讲述着几代人的心酸荣辱。作品以李亚鹏为主人公,讲述着一个家庭因一个残疾人的出生,而影响着几代人情感纠葛。直到主人公历经坎坷磨难,最终以坚强不屈的品质回报社会。本作品以人性为基础,讲述主人公从出生遭人嫌弃,到后来受人爱戴,其中的人格魅力和灵魂高度让人深思
  • 爱有晴天之缘来是你

    爱有晴天之缘来是你

    错的时间遇见错的人是一种荒唐,错的时间遇到对的人是一声叹息,对的时间遇到错的人是一场伤心,对的时间遇到对的人是一生幸福!纵然没有让我先于别人遇上你,但你依然走到我身边......
  • 作女追夫

    作女追夫

    上一世的陆淑婉是被自己作死的,有幸上天让她重来一次,这一世,她遇神杀神、遇佛杀佛,一心一意只为做他的小娇妻。而对于宋希琰来说,无论上天让他重活多少回,他的目标始终如一:爱她、疼她、宠她,让她幸福……前世一场失败的婚姻,同时重生的夫妻二人,且看二人如何同心携手共建美好新生活!